Jagannath Rath Yatra: Over 200 devotees hospitalised after crowd surge in Puri

A crowd rush was reported on the Grand Road (Bada Danda) during the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha's Puri on Tuesday, leaving at least 200 devotees with breathing difficulties amid a massive surge of pilgrims, officials said.

Special Rescue Unit (SRU) teams rushed to the spot and launched rescue operations, evacuating the affected devotees to Puri Medical for treatment, according to initial information reported by News18.

News18 cited sources as saying that one person was feared dead in the incident. However, there was no official confirmation from the authorities at the time of filing this report.

Authorities said they were closely monitoring the situation and had stepped up crowd management and emergency response measures to ensure the safety of pilgrims attending the annual festival.

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Earlier today, a person, who appeared to have fainted, taken for medical treatment as huge number of people gather to attend the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra.

Heavy security arrangements have been put in place to manage the surge in footfall and ensure the smooth conduct of the annual religious procession.

Meanwhile, amid chanting of “Jai Jagannath”, pulling of chariots of the sibling deities is underway on Grand Road of this temple town, as the main part of the Rath Yatra festival on Thursday.

Thousands of devotees first pulled the “Taladwaja” chariot of Lord Balabhadra and then Devi Subhadra's "Darpadalan". Lord Jagannath’s "Nandighosh" chariot will follow the two.

The 'raths' are proceeding from the 12th-century shrine here towards Shree Gundicha temple, considered the birthplace of the deities, around 2.6 km away.

The chariot pulling started after the ceremonial “Chhera Pahanra” (sweeping of chariots) by Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb and Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati's visit, a temple official said.

Amid shouting “Hari Bol”, beating of cymbals and blowing of trumpets and conch shells, the celebration was witnessed by a large number of devotees as the rain subsided.

Earlier, the idols of the deities were carried to the chariots through "Pahandi” or the ceremonial procession. Shree Sudarshan was the first to board the chariot, followed by Devi Subhadra, Lord Balabhadra and Lord Jagannath, a temple official said.

Shree Sudarsan is the wheel weapon of Lord Vishnu, who is worshipped in the form of Lord Jagannath in Puri, said Pandit Suryanaray Rathsharma.

Special arrangements have been made to drain out rainwater from the Grand Road and facilitate a smooth procession, as devotees will pull the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra along the thoroughfare from the shrine to the Shree Gundicha Temple.

Rath Yatra, held on the second day of the Odia month of 'Ashadha Shukla Tithi' (bright fortnight) every year, is the only occasion when the sibling deities are taken out from the 'Ratna Sinhasana', the bejewelled throne, of the temple.

Heavy rain failed to dampen the spirits of devotees, who were seen dancing on the Grand Road and celebrating the chariot festival.

According to an India Meteorological Department official, Puri received 233 mm of rainfall since Tuesday, and the seaside pilgrim town is likely to receive light to moderate rainfall during the day.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed preparedness and emphasised the safety and convenience of devotees.

As waterlogging emerged as a major challenge, he directed the Puri district administration, the municipal authorities, and relevant departments to remain on high alert and ensure swift action to remove water.

Odisha DGP Y B Khurania said that a multi-layer security arrangement was made in Puri, with 19 IPS officers and nearly 13,000 police personnel deployed for the festival.

Additionally, 15 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces - including the CRPF, BSF, RAF, and National Security - have been stationed at strategic points to fortify security.

A total of 473 AI-powered CCTV cameras, integrated with drone-jamming systems, are monitoring the Grand Road and adjoining areas through two command-and-control centres, officials said.

A joint patrolling system involving the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Odisha Police Maritime Station has also been set up, and quick response teams are deployed.